Author: Christine Ricci, PSM Manager
Organization
The Professional Science Master’s programs have been undergoing some changes over the past fiscal year.
Two new appointments in the administration of the PSM programs have been made. First, Dr. Spencer Nyholm began as the new Director of the Applied Microbial Systems Analysis program. Second, Christine Ricci is the new PSM Program Manager.
A small quiet study room was created in the Torrey Life Sciences Building within the PSM wing on the fourth floor specifically for PSM students use. Future improvements include updating the general Microbial and Cell Biology graduate student lounge, also located on the fourth floor of the Torrey Life Sciences building.
Courses and Modules
PSM Modules continue to be popular and relevant to PSM students and other graduate students. Some of the popular courses continue to be MCB 5427 Laboratory Techniques in Functional Genomics (all topics), MCB 5895 Introduction to the Theory and Practice of Flow Cytometry, MCB 5895 Introduction to R and R Studio, MCB 5895 Protein Purification, and MCB 5672 Advanced Theory and Practice of Laboratory Techniques in Microbiology: Advanced Liquid Handling and Sample Processing.
Internships Summer 2023
The PSM programs continue to have students intern at a variety of institutions. Four students interned over Summer 2023. Organizations included Weill Cornell in New York City, Torigen Pharmaceuticals, the Graf lab at UConn, and a six-month co-op at Merck.
Graduates
The PSM program congratulates five recent graduates! Tejaswinee Kota (Applied Genomics) and Michael Piekarsky (Applied Biochemistry and Cell Biology) both graduated in December 2023. Paige Ansich (Applied Biochemistry and Cell Biology) and Emily Karovic (Microbial Systems Analysis) graduated this past May and Yucheng Zhang and Rich Green will both finish this August. We are looking forward to following their careers!
PSM Professional Seminar Speakers:
Twenty-four speakers presented at the PSM Professional Seminar over 21 weeks, including seven PSM alums. Speakers represented a range of professions from academia, industry, and government as well as various career stages from early (first job) through mid-career, and even retired.
Marketing
The PSM team initiated a strategic marketing plan to increase program awareness, attract new applicants, and most importantly foster a tight student and alumni community. As part of this effort, a LinkedIn Page and Group were initiated in Spring 2024 to network with alumni, potential speakers, and potential students. To showcase our ever-improving PSM space, a 4’ x 6’ banner was designed and hung on the fourth floor of the Torrey Life Sciences building to welcome students and guests.
In mid-April the PSM team hosted a booth at UConn’s Student Union to meet and engage with UConn undergraduates. Interested students were from all academic years (first-years through graduating seniors). A number of outreach activities including attending graduate student fairs and open houses are planned for the 2024/2025 academic year.
Additionally, the PSM website was redesigned with many updates, new (or additional) content, graphics (including the updated PSM logo), and layout. This new webpage will feature sections specifically designed for new and current students; notable alumni; and potential industrial, governmental, or academic collaborations. If you’re interested in being a featured alumnus or collaborating with the PSM programs, please reach out to Christine Ricci at chr06004@uconn.edu.
Alumni
The PSM programs are actively reaching out and connecting with alumni. If you are an alumnus looking to connect back with the PSM programs, please find us on LinkedIn and/or reach out to Christine Ricci at chr06004@uconn.edu.
Conclusions
Many changes have been happening in the PSM programs, from personnel changes to marketing strategies. The PSM programs continue to train high quality students into the growing biotech workforce. As our network strengthens, we hope to continue to improve and expand the programs